Trans–New Guinea

Trans–New Guinea
Geographic distribution:	New Guinea, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku Islands
Linguistic classification:	One of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions:	Accepted families:Asmat–Kamoro, Greater Awyu, Binanderean, Chimbu–Wahgi, Dani, Engan, Finisterre–Huon, Kainantu–Goroka, Madang, Mek, Ok–Oksapmin, Paniai Lakes Questionable families: Alor–Pantar, Angan, Awin–Pa, Bayono-Awbono, Bosavi, Bunak, Damal, Duna–Pogaya, East Strickland, East Timor, Gogodala–Suki, Inland Gulf, Kamula, Kayagar, Kiwaian, Kolopom, Marind, Mombum, Moraori, South Bird's Head, Southeast Papuan (several branches), Somahai, Tanah Merah, Tirio, West Bomberai, Wiru Doubtful families:Fasu (West Kutubu), Goilalan, Dem, Kaki Ae, Kaure (Kaure–Kapori), Eleman, East Kutubu, Mor, Pawaia, Teberan, Turama–Kikorian
ISO 639-5:
Glottolog:	None nucl1709  (Nuclear Trans–New Guinea)
The extent of various proposals for Trans–New Guinea.   Core TNG: Families accepted by Glottolog   Other Trans–New Guinea families proposed by Ross (2005)   Other Papuan languages   Austronesian languages   Uninhabited
The various families constituting Ross' conception of Trans–New Guinea. The greatest TNG diversity is in the eastern highlands. (After Ross 2005.) Irian Jaya, W to E   South Bird's Head   West Trans–New Guinea   Kaure–Kapori   Pauwasi   Mek   Asmat–Kamoro   Awyu–Dumut   Ok   Kayagar   Marind   Kolopom PNG highlands, W to E   Awin–Pa   East Strickland   Duna   Bosavi   Engan   West Kutubuan   East Kutubuan   Chimbu–Wahgi   Kainantu–Goroka   Madang   Finisterre–Huon Southern PNG, E to W   Binanderean   Southeast Papuan   Angan   Eleman   Teberan   Turama–Kikorian   Kiwai–Porome   Inland Gulf   Gogodala–Suki   Tirio   isolates*   * Mor, Tanah Merah, Dem, Uhunduni, Oksapmin, Wiru, Pawaia, Kamula, Moraori, Mombum

Irian Jaya, W to E

PNG highlands, W to E

Southern PNG, E to W

Trans–New Guinea (TNG) is an extensive family of Papuan languages spoken in New Guinea and neighboring islands, perhaps the third-largest language family in the world by number of languages. The core of the family is considered to be established, but its boundaries and overall membership are uncertain. There have been three main proposals.

Although Papuan languages for the most part are poorly documented, several of the branches of Trans–New Guinea have been recognized for some time. The Eleman languages were first proposed by S. Ray in 1907, parts of Marind were recognized by Ray and JHP Murray in 1918, and the Rai Coast languages in 1919, again by Ray.

The precursor of the Trans–New Guinea family was Stephen Wurm's 1960 proposal of an East New Guinea Highlands family. Although broken up as a unit (though retained within TNG) by Malcolm Ross in 2005, it united different branches of TNG for the first time, linking Engan, Chimbu–Wahgi, Goroka, and Kainantu. (Duna and Kalam were added in 1971.) Then in 1970 Clemens Voorhoeve and Kenneth McElhanon noted 91 lexical resemblances between the Central and South New Guinea (CSNG) and Finisterre–Huon families, which they had respectively established a few years earlier. Although they did not work out regular sound correspondences, and so could not distinguish between cognates due to genealogical relationship, cognates due to borrowing, and chance resemblances, their research was taken seriously. They chose the name Trans–New Guinea because this new family was the first to span New Guinea, from the Bomberai Peninsula of western West Irian to the Huon Peninsula of eastern PNG. They also noted possible cognates in other families Wurm would later add to TNG: Wurm's East New Guinea Highlands, Binandere in the 'Bird's Tail' of PNG, and two families that John Z'graggen would later (1971, 1975) unite in his 100-language Madang–Adelbert Range family.